What every newb should know

So when you are in D getting max engine braking, does additional brake pedal give you even more regen?

Sorry if being dense, but it seems a bit counterintuitive. I guess it was all the driving around picturing the Electric motor doing all that braking, not the ICE, and really juicing up the battery pack Plus seeing the batt meter go all the way to the top!

 

My SGII displays about 1000 rmp in neutral coast and approx. 130-200 mpg depending on the speed. In EV mode the rpm will read 0 rpm and over 3000 mpg so if you can keep it under 41 mph instead of pulse and glide in neutral feather the accel in EV mode to keep around 40 mph and you'll get your best mpg.

The MG1 is maxed out and near over-spin at 61-62 mph...the speed to stay under if you're going to do neutral coast at highway speeds. In another thread I started the other day someone on the site provided very good math supporting this speed as max prior to over spin. I've also done some reading that supports P&G at 60-70 mph using SGII IGN setting around 14 as max mpg attainable. If you don't have a SGII then you'll have to practice til you find you're sweet spot.

 

Oversimplified explanation:

In D, you have no real engine braking. In fact, sometimes the engine is off and not rotating (speeds under 42 mph). When you take your foot off the "go" pedal, the HV ECU (Hybrid Vehicle Electronic Control Unit) adds regen braking to simulate engine drag. If you press the brake pedal, the HV ECU, Battery ECU and the Skid ECU communcate to add additional regen braking and if necessary, add friction braking depending upon how much braking is needed. The amount of regen braking available is dependent upon how much energy the battery can accept. The friction brakes will make up the difference when the battery can not accept energy fast enough.

In B, you still have regen braking, but the engine is also used as a quasi jake brake to absorb energy and slow the car. The energy absorbed by the engine rotating is no longer available for storage in the battery.

So for maximum FE and stored regen energy, you should use D instead of B. B is only necessary when you have a long downhill grade where you will completely fill the battery and you still need additional braking on the downhill slope. It is analogous to using '2' or '1' in a conventional auto trans or downshifting on a grade with a manual transmission.

It is possible to 'fill' the battery (80% SOC) while in D, I have done it several times, but it is not normal. The car programming shoots for a 60% SOC (the center of 40% and 80%).

 

I, too, hated the finger smudges (plus knowing what they would eventually do to the screen).
Since I've always purchased protective screens for my cameras----
there is a site you can go to and order a non-glare protective screen that can be taken off and washed, if needed, but it does great on the prius screen with usual wipe procedure.
So now, if you get the smudges---they can come off easily with no problem.
The site is BoxWave Accessories - iPhone, Blackberry, Treo, HTC Cases, Batteries, Chargers & More ----click screen protectors and then scroll down the names of electronics- to the bottom that says for another electronic: go there and then key in Toyota Prius in the factfinder: ----------it will be termed: a screen for navigation sys., but it is what you need for the Prius screen.
Hope this helps-----works great on mine.

:thumb:

 

Which jumper unit do you use and where did you get it?

 

I have this one:

Black & Decker Power Tools

It cost about $35 at Walmart. It is also sold under the Vector brand and I have seen that version sold for under $30 on sale.

Any portable power pack will work, but if you get one with the 12V connector that plugs into a 12v socket (cigar lighter socket) it won't work unless you modify the Prius 12v socket to be unswitched (by default it is disconnected when the car is Off). So I recommend one with jumper cable connections.

 

I fill the tank very slowly, in the am for two reasons: 1 lower temperature of the gas means more volume of gas and 2 filling slowly means less air ingested with the liquid gas. #3 it pisses off the station owner ( just kidding) and burp it one time then continue the fill until the click. As close as I can ccalculate I get 47 to 50 in everyday driving. 20% freeway. I average the last five tanks, and do the mileage manually(i.e. Current speedo reading less previous speedo reading divided by gals at fillup.
The horn is really dorky. Anybody change the horn?
I call my car Judas
I call my car Judas

 

Last summer several news outfits tested this theory and concluded that due to gas being stored in underground tanks, there is very little temperature variation.

This conclusion is supported by the EPA. Their tank emission modeling software will report zero breathing emissions from an underground tank (in reality, there is a very small amount).

 

Thanks everyone spent the morning reading this from the first post.

 

How is it for the anti-glare properties? I can't even see my screen when the sun is hitting it just right.

 

I bought the front and rear Heatshield sun shades. They are quality products. Installing the front shade is occasionally an exercise in dexterity, but it fits perfectly. The rear shade is also a great fit. It has to be used a few times for the suction cups to get nimble.

 

There is still "some" glare, but not as much as before---plus your screen is protected.

 

Hi everyone! Just recently joined the Forum and want to say thanks for all the great information sharing. I reside in Tucker,Georgia and want to know from the PriusChat Forum members who reside here in the Atlanta ,Georgia metropolitan area which dealers I should visit to get the best price and service for my first Prius (2010).Please share your thoughts, Thanks in advance.
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My 1st post! Hello forum

 

Welcome, from another newbie

 

I am dpwriter, i am here to learn and to share my experience and information.

 

I get the "Add Fuel" light and keep driving. I've gotten up to 100 miles before I decided to stop for gas.

Made me sweat, but the prius really did me a solid.

 

Greetings all. My husband and I bought our first Prius last Sunday--a 2009 base package. I filled up for the first time today; I did so as soon as the second to last pip disappeared. The guy at the station (Oregon requires that fuel stations are staffed with pump-guys) warned me about not topping it off, and told me about the 'bladder'. I didn't believe him honestly, until I came here. ::heh:: I figured if it were that important our salesman would have said something; maybe he did and I was just too stoked to pay attention.

Anyway, with a trip to Hood River and back, and my long daily commute, we are duly impressed with the mileage on this baby so far. Easy to be impressed though coming from a 15mpg Jeep Wrangler.

Thank you for the tips. If you come up with any more that you think we should know, be sure to let me know. We love our new baby and want to make sure it gets all the care it needs.

It totally cracked me up that ashtrays were considered additional accessories! LOL! A sign of the times, I say.

 

Thanks smile.gif but you stole my idea! I was going to redo my sig with the gray nVidia logo as the background sad.gif.


htt p://pret-auto.or g pret auto

 

Great forum! We're looking for a 2010, probably level 4. Any suggestions for a really good dealer here in the Research Triangle area?